Signal File: What this week’s headlines reveal about the cost of performance
From disappearing perks to creeping overwork, this week’s signals expose a workplace where performance is rising, just not sustainably
Staying ahead in the rapidly evolving world of work means tuning in to the signals shaping the future workplace. In this weekly column, we highlight the latest news on our radar and its implications for business.
This week’s signals highlight a workplace on the edge of a big reset. As AI models scale, companies are pulling back on perks, rewriting compliance rules, and tolerating extreme work cultures – all in pursuit of performance. But what gets lost when efficiency outpaces empathy? From Meta’s regulatory pushback to Silicon Valley’s quiet adoption of the 996 model, the future of work may hinge on what we choose to value.
Snack cuts signal post-perk culture
As a Trump-era tax break on office meals expires, employers will have to cut back on food perks – just as they try to make the office feel worth returning to. With deductions for snacks and coffee now halved and set to disappear by 2026, companies face a bigger question: if the treats go, what keeps people coming in?
In action: Offset perk loss by investing in culture-building. Spaces that support connection, creativity, and wellbeing will hold more long-term value than snacks.
AI insurance becomes a new safety net
Startup Armilla Assurance has launched what it calls the world’s first insurance product for AI models – offering to cover the cost of mistakes made by generative tools. Designed for enterprise clients, the coverage kicks in when companies rely on AI systems that hallucinate or produce faulty outputs that result in financial damage.
In action: As AI becomes foundational to every business, build safeguards around it. Insurance and accountability frameworks can turn AI risk from a blocker into a calculated asset.
Meta pushes back on EU’s AI code
Meta is refusing to sign the EU’s voluntary AI code of practice – a guide meant to help firms align early with the incoming AI Act. Arguing that the code goes beyond the law itself, Meta stands alone among big tech firms in challenging what it sees as regulatory overreach.
In action: Expect more tactical non-compliance from big players. As AI laws tighten, companies will test the boundaries of regulation and reshape what ‘responsible’ looks like in practice.
Silicon Valley flirts with Chinese 996 work culture
Once synonymous with China’s intense tech sector, the controversial 996 schedule – 9am to 9pm, six days a week – is quietly gaining traction in US AI firms. In the search of breakthroughs and prestige, AI workers are voluntarily embracing long hours, fuelling a culture where overwork is reframed as personal passion.
In action: Question the culture of sacrifice. As elite workers glorify burnout, leaders must set clearer boundaries or risk normalising unsustainable performance as a new standard.
